Educational apparatus.



No.- 706,463. Patented Aug. 5', |902.

W. L. SMITH. EDUCATIONAL APPARATUS.

(Application led Max'. 18, 1901.)

(Nn Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LORD SMITH, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EDUCATIONAL APPARATUS'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,463, dated August5, 1902.

Application filed March 18. 1901.

To L7/Z whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM LORD SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Educational Apparatus, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention is an educational appliance adapted to be used as a toy,combining instruction and amusement, and being particularly intended tofacilitate the rapid increase of knowledge and strengthening of thememory and the power of application of youths.

My invention aims at enforcing upon the attention of the youth, bygraphic means, of geographical outlines, so that the same may beindelibly fixed in the memory, yboth by reason `ofthe powers ofobservation of the user and by reason of the manual attention to thedetails in the act of drawing or copying, combined withmagnetically-operable designations of ancillary data connected'with thevarious geographical localities, said databeing preferably in the natureof historical, ethnological, geological, botanical, zoological,sociological, the., information; and to this end the preferredembodiment of my invention resides in a suitable table with atranslucent and partially-transparent surface in connection with meansVbeneath the same. for receiving a map or subject to be copied, thesaid'map being observable through the said surface, so that the youthmay copy the same with a pencil or crayon on the said sur-` face, thelatter being raised slucicntly to permit a special magnetic actuator ormoving medium to be operated freely beneath the same in such proximitytothe said surface or table as to cause a corresponding movement, as maybe desired, of movable blocks or information-stations placed on top ofthe said table. The said blocks may contain representations, forinstance, of the fauna of a countryy or larger geographical division, ifdesired, and in such case the pupil, after having drawn the outlines ofthe map, and thereby iixed the same in his memory, will be required tolocate in the proper localities the different blocks in such manner asto represent accurately the Serial No. 51,638. (No model.) l

proper distribution of the fauna of the country or division, the saidproper locating of the blocks not being accomplished by actual handlingof the same, which would tend to divert the attention and prevent theclose mental application and continuity of thought which it is thepurpose of this invention to promote, but by the concealed magnet, so

' that the blocks are moved by the imperceptible magnetic iniiuenceacting through the relatively thin drawing-surface, thereby tending toconcentrate the attention of the user upon the ideawhich is beingcarried out without` any liability of distraction because of fmechanical accessories.

It has been my object to devise an apparatus the use of `which enforcesin a natural manner following the usual mental habits of children andyouths a sequence of data,which, if taught from books in usual manner,would be irksome and difficult of retention, but which follows sonaturally and logically as a toy or game that before he knows it theyouth has fixed it all in his memory, and I regard asv one of the chiefmerits of my invention the combination in one apparatus of means fortraining the eye, the hand, andthe mind to close discrimination,application, and, because of the concealment of the actuating means ofthe blocks, to concentration and a measurable degree of abstraction.

' The constructional details of my invention,

i manner of use, and further application thereland Fig. 5 is a similarview of another form of block.

It will be understood that my invention is capable of a great variety ofembodiments; but for the purpose of illustration I have IOO , hereinshown a simple form thereof by means at a7 and retained in position bymeans of struts as, hinged at af to the table, so that the legs andstruts may be turned in against the table for convenient packing andcarrying purposes. This construction adapts the apparatns' to convenientremoval and storage. So, likewise, do the parts to be yet explained,although it will be understood that a wide y variety of embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of my invention. The magnet, however, orthe mechanism cooperating therewith contains means for varying theattractive iniuence of the magnet on the blocks, to be referred to,either by shielding the magnet or by moving it toward and from saidblocks. I am aware that it is not new to use a magnet for moving blocks,and I make no claim thereto, my invention requiring mechanism under thecontrol of the operator fory varying the attractive influence of themagnet and enabling the latter to be manipulated not in a haphazardmanner, but according to the will and mental control of the child, beingtherefore truly an educational apparatus. Saidmechanism preferablysupports the magnet, although capable of various embodiments, and isherein shown as combined with the handle-or magnet-shifting device,which I will now describe.

Adapted to operate beneath the table is a magnet b, slidingly mounted inguides h of a support b2, having legs b3, terminating in vrollers orballs b5, adapted to slide freely over the top of-a stand or othersupport on which the table amay be placed. The magnet b is connected tothe free end of a lever b, pivoted at 57 in a handle 58, said lever h6having at its outer end a thumb-piece b9, by which Vit may be depressed,and is preferably provided also with suitable means, herein shown asnotches or projections blo Z212, in position to be engaged by aspring-actuated dog bw, pivoted at 514 to the handle and having athumb-piece Z915, by which it may be disengaged from the lever, saidnotches serving to retain the magnet in more or less raised proximity tothe glass for exerting a greater or a less attractive inuence on themovable blocks, as it is desired to move larger or smaller blocks, itbeing understood that smaller blocks will respond more readily andquickly than larger blocks. At its upper end the magnet b carries ashielding device,

vwhich may be of any suitable construction and shape, being herein shownassimply a block ble, adapted to be moved up i down on the ends of themagnet for shielding the same or limiting the distance that. sardimagnet may move toward the glass a.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown in detail certain forms of blocks orinformation-stations which may be placed on the table, as indicated inFig. 1, to be moved over the same by the magnetic influence of theactuator, said blocks being shown as consisting of disks or plates c,having on their upper surfaces holding devices or clips c', in which,preferably, pictorial representations of the particular information ordata may be mounted, as indicated in Fig. l. Said blocks c havesoft-iron bottom surfaces c2, adapted to be attracted by the magnet b.

The form of block shown in Fig. 5 is preferably employed for indicatinghistorical, geographical, or biographical information, and the form ofblock shown in Fig. 4 is used for carrying pictorial or physicalrepresentations of the flora, fauna, races, dsc., of a country or forsimilar representations of the iiags, ships, industries, vc., of thecountry.

It will be understood that while I have termedV my device an educationalapparatus and use the same as a game or toy the uses thereof are by nomeans limited thereto, as its use would be of advantage in highinstitutions of learning and, indeed, for certain display purposes whereit might be desired to conveyinformation-as, for example, in followingthe maneuvers of a iieet. y

In'use the map or drawing which is to serve as the subject for thelesson or game or particular instruction in hand is slid through theslit a5 into position beneath the ground glass a', and the pupil oryouth is then required to copy accurately the outlines thereof on thegroundglass. Then the first set of blocks which are to be used is placedon the top of the table a and scattered around in standing positionpromiscuously. The player then depresses the lever h6 by pressing downupon the thumb-piece b9, so as to bring the magnet into proximity to theglass to attract the various blocks. The lever is held depressed by thedog Z913, so that all that the operator is required to do is simply tomove the magnet here or there, thereby simultaneously moving anyparticular block to its required position relatively to the country.`

We will suppose that the user is locating the cities of a country andthat the first block moved is New York. When New York is brought to theproper position on the map,

lthe player depresses the thumb-piece bk",

thereby permitting the magnet to drop out of range of the New Yorkblock. The-magnet is then slid beneath the Chicago block and raised bydepressing the lever h6, whereupon a further movement of the magnetserves to carry the Chicago vblock to its required place, where it isleft simply by permitting the magnet to drop down relatively to itssupport b2, moving its ield of induence away from the IOO IZO

l soft-'iron'bottom c2 of thc block. This process is repeated for allthe cities of the country. Let it be supposed that next the player isrequired to properly distribute certain other information-blocks -as,for example, the fauna of the country. He will move the block b1upwardly on the magnet, so as to plevent the latter from coming into asclose proximity to the glass as previously and will also use smallerblocks-such, for example, as shown in Fig. -which being smaller respondmore readily to the shifting influence of the actuator, and the latter,being partially shielded, may be moved beneath one of the larger andpreviously-placed blocks without disturbing the same. Having distributedthe second series or set of blocks, a careful player may distributeother sets Without disturbing the previously-placed blocks.

Blocks representing ships may be made to reproduce voyages. i

From the above description it will be seen that my invention is capableof an endless variety of applications, and accordingly I do not limitmyself otherwise than as expressed hereinafter in the claims.

Having described my invention, what I` claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An educational apparatus comprising a table having a top surfacethrough which a map or similar object may be seen and on` which it maybe drawn or copied, means beneath said top surface for receiving andholding aimap in position to be copied, supports for said table holdingthesam'e elevated suficiently'to permit free movement of an actuator,blocks or movable information-stations having their bases containingmaterial to be attracted by a magnet, and an actuator containing amagnet adapted to be moved beneath said table for shifting the blocks asmay be desired.

2. An educational apparatus comprising a copying-surface, means behindthe said surface for retaining an object to be copied on said surface, amagnet movable behind said surface, means extending beyond said surfacefor moving said magnet, informationstations mounted on said surface andprovided With means attractive to said magnet, whereby movement of thelatter correspondingly moves the said stations to thelocations requiredby the object copied thereon.

3. An educational apparatus comprisinga table, having a surface capableof readily receiving marks, and: sufficiently transparent to display.therethrough an object placed behind the same, means behind said surfacefor holding a map to be copied, movable blocks carried on said surfaceand containing magnetically-attractive material, an actuator-beneathsaid table provided with a handle eX- tending `beyond the table atoneend, and having at :its other end a magnet to attract said blocks, asupport for said magnet provided With means permitting the same to slidearound beneath the table, and means for raising or lowering theA magnetrelatively to said surface..

4. An educational apparatus comprising a table, having a surface capableof readily receiving marks, and sufliciently transparent to displaytherethrough an object placed behind the same, means behind said surfacefor holding a map to be copied, movable blocks carried on said surfaceand containing magnetically-attractive material, an actuator beneathsaid table provided with a `handle extending beyond the table at oneend, and

having at its other end a magnet to attract said blocks, a support forsaid magnet provided with means permittingthe same to slide .aroundbeneath the table,and means for varyi ing the attractive inliuence ofsaid magnet on said blocks.

5. An educational apparatus comprising a table, having a surface capableof readily receiving marks, and sufficiently transparent to displaytherethrough an object placed bohind the same, means behind' saidsurface for holding a map to be copied, movable blocks carried onsaidsurface and containing magnetically-attractive material, an actuatorbeneath said table provided with a handle extending beyond the table atone end, and havingat its other `end a magnet to attract said blocks, asupport for said magnet provided With means permitting the same to slidearound beneath the table, a lever pivoted to said handle, said magnetbeing carried by the inner end of said lever, to be raised and loweredby the depressing or raising of the outer end of` said lever. v

6. An educational apparatus comprising a table, having a surface capableof readily receiving marks, and sufficiently transparent to displaytherethrough an object placed behind the same, means behind saidsurfacefor holding a map to be copied, movable blocks carried on saidsurface and containing magnetically-attractive material, an actuatorbeneath said table provided With a handle eX- tending beyond the tableat one end, and having at its other end a magnet to attract said blocks,a support for said magnet provided with means permitting the same toslide around beneath the table, a lever pivoted to said handle, saidmagnet being carried by the inner end of said lever, to be raised andlowered by the depressing or raising of the outer end of said lever, andmeans for detachably holding the other end of the lever in depressedposition.

7. An educational apparatus comprising a thin table, having folding legssecured thereto, movable blocks bolted on said; table and provided withmagnetically-attractive material in their bases, and an actuator formoving said blocks, said actuator comprising a handle, a lever, amagnet, and asupport for the latter, said support being carried by theinner end of said handle, and said lever being pivotally mounted in saidhandle and IOO IIO

carrying the magnet at its inner vend in said support, the outer end ofthe lever being in position to'be engaged and operated by themanipulator of the handle, and serving to raise or lower the magnetbeneath the table into .or out of attractive relation with the blocks onsaid table for positioning the latter as required.

8. An educational apparatus comprising a thin table, movable blocks onsaid table and provided' with magnetically-attractive material in theirbases, and an actuator for moving said blocks, said actuator comprisinga handle, a lever, a magnet, and a support for the latter, said support'being carried by the inner end of said handle, vand said lever beingpivotally mounted in said handle and carrying the magnet at its innerend in said support, the outer end of the lever being in position to beengaged and operated by the manipulator of the handle, and serving to sraise or lower the magnet into or out of attractive relation with theblocks on said table for positioning the latter as required.

t). An educational apparatus comprising a thin table, movable blocks onsaid table and provided with magnetically-attractive material in theirbases, and an actuator for mov- -ing said blocks, said actuatorcomprising a handle, a lever, a magnet, and a support for the latter,said support being carried by the inner end of said handle, andsaidlever being pivotally mounted in said handle and carrying the magnetat its inner end in said support, the outer end of the lever being inposition to be engaged and operated by the manipulator of the handle,and serving to raise or lower the magnet into or out of attractiverelation with the blocks on said table for positioning the latter asrequired, the support for said actuator being provided with legsterminating in ball-like ends, for permitting the same to slide readilyas required.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM LORD SMITH. Witnesses:

GEO. H. MAXWELL, ADoLPH P. KAIsE.

